Show-case.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1903'.

W; BOWER.

SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED ran. '1. 1903. no MODEL.

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i v a a I J THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHQTQJJTHUH WASHINGTON, D. C.

i\To.727,8871 v v UNITED STATES i atented May 12, 1903.

ATENT OFFICE.

VVILLIAMBOWER, OLNEY, ILLINOIS.

SHOW-GAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,887, dated May 172, 1903. Application filed February 7, 1903. Serial No. 142,273. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,.WILLIAM BOWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olney, in the county of Richlan'd and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Show-Cases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable oth-I ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to vide a show-case of this character in which the front of the case may be opened by the salesman at a point in rear of the same to permit a customer to select goods from the stock contained within the case.

The invention also has for its object to improve the construction of the operating mechanism for opening and closing the front of the case and to enable the same to be readily raised and lowered Withoutliability of jarring and breaking or otherwise injuring the glass of the front and to permit the same to be securely locked in a closed position.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a show-case constructed in-accordance With this invention, the counter being partly broken away to illustrate the construction of the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a portion of the device, illustrating the arrangement of the locking-lever and the counterbalancing-spring.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a show-case mounted upon a counter 2 and provided with a transparent top 3 and having a transparent front 4, preferably constructed in sections; but a single sash may be employed, as will be readily understood. The front 4, which is vertically slidable to open and close the show-case, is mounted in suitable ways 5 of the'show-case and the counter, and it is connected with arms (3 of a rock-shaft 7 by upright links 8, preferably arranged in pairs and located adjacent to the ends of the sec tions of the front, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings. In order to prevent the vertically-movable front of the show-case from being jarred and the glass broken or otherwise injured in opening the show-case, the counter is provided at the bottom with bnfiers or cushions 9, of rubber or other suitable material, arranged to receive the lower endsof the links or rods 8 and the front or outer ends of the arms 6 of the rock-shaft. These buffers or cushions are preferably placed in suitable sockets of the bottom of the counter, and the arms of the rock-shaft may be pivotally connected with the lower ends of the links or upright rods in any suitable manner.

The rock-shaft, which is located above the bottom of the counter, is journaled in suitable bearings 10 of the ends of the counter and is counterbalanced by a coiled spring 11 for partially sustaining the weight of the front of the show-case, the front of the showcase being sufiiciently heavy to open automatically when the rock-shaft is released, as hereinafter explained. The bearings 10 preferably consist of plates secured to the inner faces of the ends of the counter and provided with suitable openings for the terminals of the shaft. I

The coiledspring 11, which is disposed on the shaft, has one end attached to a post or support 12, and its other end is secured to a collar 13, adjustably mounted on the shaft by a set-screw 14 to regulate the tension of the spring to counterbalance the front of the show-ease to the desired extent. By this construction the operating mechanism may be adjusted to cause the front of the show-case to open as easily as desired. Instead of ennploying a spring a suitable weight may be used for counterbalancing the front of the show-case.

The rock-shaft is provided with a rearwardly-extending treadle 15, arranged to be operated by the foot of the salesman to rock the shaft and close the door or front of the show-case, which is locked inits closed position by a gravity-latch 16. The gravity-latch consists of a bell-crank lever fulcrumed between its ends on a suitable support 17 and having one arm arranged in the path of the lever and normally located above the same. The treadle-engaging arm is arranged at a slight inclination, and the other arm is approximately horizontal and normally rests on a stop 18 and connected with a lower upright rod 19. The upright rod, which passes through a guide-eye 20, is provided at its upper end with a grip or handle 21, located beneath a fixed handle 22 and adapted to be grasped simultaneously with the same when it is desired to lift the operating-rod 19 and throw the latch out of engagement with the treadle. The treadle when depressed is adapted to swing theinclined arm of the bellcrank lever laterally, and it is automatically engaged with the same.

When it is desired to open the front of the show-case, the locking-lever is swung out of engagement with the treadle to permit the front of the case to drop, and the downward movement of the front of the case may be controlled by the operator by placing the foot upon the face of the treadle. The showcase is closed by depressing the treadle, the latch or locking-lever being adapted to antomatically engage the latter.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a support, of a show-case mounted thereon and provided with a vertically-movable front, a rock-shaft having an arm connected with the front, a treadle fixed to the rock-shaft, and a bell-cranklocking-lever arranged to engage the treadle, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a support, of a show-case mounted on the support, and having a vertically-movable front, a rock-shaft provided with a treadle, an upright link or rod, connected with the rock-shaft and with the show-case, a cushion arranged to receive the rod or link, and a locking-lever arranged to engage the treadle, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a support, of a show-case mounted thereon, and provided with a vertically-movable front, a rock-shaft having a treadle and-provided with arms, links connecting the arms with the front of the show-case, and a gravity-actuated lever arranged to engage the treadle, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a support, of a showcase mounted thereon and provided with a vertically-movable front, a rock-shaft provided with a treadle and connected with the front, a coiled spring mounted on and connected with the rock-shaft for partially counterbalancing the front of the show-case, and means for locking the treadle for holding the front of the show-case in its closed position substantially as described.

5. The combination with a support of a show-case mounted thereon,and provided with a vertically-movable front, of a rook-shaft connected with the front and havinga treadle, a spring connected with the rock-shaft for partially counterbalancing the front of the show-case, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms engaging the treadle, a stop for limiting the movement of the lever, an operating-rod, connected with the other arm of the lever and provided with a grip, and a plate having a guide to receive the rod and provided with a fixed grip located adjacent to that of the rod, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BOWER.

Witnesses:

FRANK BRASSIE, GEORGE SEIBoLD. 

